AbstractThe change in aerosol properties and ground-reaching solar irradiance in different spectral bands associated with an intense biomass-burning episode has been examined in the present study. Synchronous ground-based measurements on aerosol optical depth (AOD), erythemal ultraviolet radiation (UV(ery)), solar irradiance and light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) observations of aerosol backscatter were carried out in the urban region of Hyderabad, India. Air-mass back-trajectory analysis has been carried out to infer long-range transport of pollutants over the urban environment of Hyderabad. Ground-measured AOD showed similar to 50% increase on 3 March 2009 compared to 2 March 2009, along with similar to 13% and similar to 31% increases in Angstrom's parameter (alpha) and turbidity coefficient (beta). UV(ery) and global solar irradiance showed similar to 24% and similar to 10% reduction, respectively, on a turbid day (3 March 2009) compared to a normal day (2 March 2009). The Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) AOD(550) also showed higher values associated with long-range transport of aerosols from biomass burning over the region.